Just in time for the release of Moons of Elsweyr, I’ve combed Tamriel and beyond to find the five most wickedly OP decks being used right now.
So get your Soul Gems ready and pray to the Dark Brotherhood, because these decks will help you climb the ranked ladder and leave a trail of bodies in your wake.
#5. Aggro Keyword Assassin
By Aifread
A devious assassin deck that uses keywords and a few simple combos to cut through your opponents with ease.
You want to join the dark brotherhood of assassins? Prove your worth.
This deck might not be the flashiest or the loudest, but it makes our list due to it’s high win percentage, simplicity, and extremely low cost to create, making it the perfect OP deck for newcomers and seasoned ESL players alike.
What makes it good?
- Cheap creatures with useful summon effects to control turns 1-5.
- Early and mid-game keyword creation.
- Plenty of sources to draw cards, ensuring your combos get to the game.
- It’s insanely cheap, costing only 4350 Soul Gems to create.
- It has Ancano.
Why it’s OP:
- Manic Jack and Royal Sage are a legit OP combo.
- You will Proc empower with no real effort.
- You will create an army of creatures loaded with keywords and protected by wards, only to slay your opponent with direct damage actions.
How to Play This Deck Effectively:
- This deck has insane aggro, so you need to play accordingly. Try to start the game with as many 1, 2, or 3 cost creatures in your hand as possible.
- Attack your opponent as much as possible. Try to split your forces across both lanes, attack face, and force your opponent to make bad trades.
- Your primary combo will be Manic Jack with Royal Sage, Wardcrafter, and Sixth House Amulet. If possible, make sure you buff Jack with Wardcrafter before using Manic Mutation on him as the mutation may pull a duplicate ward.
- Use Spoils of War mid-game for a nice card boost. Altmer Flamesinger and Blood Sacrament can be used to Proc empower twice in one turn, making Spoils nearly free.
- After giving another creature the Steel Sword, use Seyda Neen Courier as fodder for Blood Sacrament’s betray.
Deck List:
X3 Crown Quartermaster
X3 Dominion Oathman
X1 Shadow Shift
X1 Sixth House Amulet
X3 Altmer Flamesinger
X3 Ice Spike
X2 Seyda Neen Courier
X2 Shrieking Harpy
X2 Wandering Skeleton
X3 Wardcrafter
X3 Blood Sacrament
X3 Camlorn Hero
X3 Crushing Blow
X3 Cunning Ally
X3 Manic Jack/Manic Mutation
X3 Lightning Bolt
X3 Royal Sage
X3 Cliff Racer
X2 Spoils of War
X1 Ancano
#4. Move In For The Kill
By SuperNuts
An updated take on the classic monk deck, with enough Pilfer to empty out Fort Knox.
Khajit prays that you left your back door unlocked. That will make this one's job much easier.
This Monk deck is loaded with some of the most powerful Pilfer cards in the game, and they are accentuated perfectly with powerful support cards. The only downside to this viscous Khajit combo is the cost, as creating the deck will cost you a whopping 14,450 Soul Gems. If you don’t have much of a collection, I’d recommend using a Khajit-heavy starter deck such as Khamira’s Rebellion to get you going.
What makes it good?
- The deck is unrelenting in its simplicity and wave-after-wave of Pilfer creatures.
- A nice balance of cheap and expensive creatures will limit the aggro that most Pilfer decks live-or-die by.
- Strong shacklers and control cards will help with enemy response or early aggro.
- Not dependent on combos or pairing specific cards to be successful.
- It has Sails-Through-Storms!
Why it’s OP:
- The deck contains just about every OP or extremely powerful Pilfer creature around.
- It uses lane-movement cards to dodge guards when you can’t kill them outright.
- Does not depend on lethal to trade creatures, like some Monk decks. Instead, uses speed and accuracy to dominate the mid-game.
How to Play This Deck Effectively:
- Try you best to set the table in turns 1-4 by timing your Khajits to attack from the shadow lane once you play Master of Thieves.
- Using finishing cards like Finish Off and Leaflurker to take out enemy guards.
- Use drain buffs like Monk’s Strike and Snake Tooth Necklace to their full effects. Don’t burn them early on to gain 2 or 3 health.
- Whenever possible, play Khajit to the field lane and move them to the shadow lane using cards like Bewildering Speed, Mad Dash, etc. Try to bait the enemy Guards into protecting an empty lane.
- When possible, horde lane movement cards to create a combo with Apex Predator.
- Don’t trade creatures unless you have to. Remember that most of your power cards cost 4 or more, so spend the early game gathering resources and planning your mid-range moves.
Deck List:
X3 Baandari Opportunist
X3 Bewildering Speed
X3 Shadow Shift
X3 Blood Pact Messenger
X3 Dune Stalker
X3 Finish Off
X3 Mad Dash
X1 Snake Tooth Necklace
X3 Dune Smuggler
X2 Rajhini Highwayman
X3 Sanctuary Pet
X3 Master of Thieves
X3 Monk’s Strike
X3 Tenmar Swiftclaw
X1 Ahnassi
X3 Apex Predator
X3 Leaflurker
X3 Quin-rawl Burglar
X1 Sails-Through-Storms
#3 Ambusher’s Prophecy
By CyberRecon
A brutal Battle mage deck that uses game-changing prophecy cards and sustained aggro to push through defenses and tear your enemy down.
Here's a prophecy for you... this deck rules!
A new take on the classic Aggro Prophecy, this Battle mage deck is loaded with power cards and comes in at a very reasonable 7,250 Soul Gems to build from scratch. With 33 prophecy cards included in this build, your opponent will have a difficult time sustaining any offense.
What makes it good?
- The sheer amount of prophecy cards will give you anywhere from 3-8 extra cards in play per game. That’s enough to turn the tide in your favor.
- Works well against Dagoth Ward waves as well as against similar Battle mage builds.
- With a Magicka curve that peaks at 2, the deck relies on early, hyper-aggressive aggro that can be covered by cheap guards and prophecy draws.
- Mid-game control using guards and direct damage actions will let you balance out if your initial wave doesn’t do the trick.
- It has Ancano!
Why it’s OP:
- Fate Weaver is OP in a deck like this and you will be able to summon free creatures at a critical time in the game.
- Uses Fear Totem as a combo with strong summon-ability creatures like Fate Weaver, Ancano, etc.
How to Play This Deck Effectively:
- Start attacking immediately. Go for the face and don’t be afraid to aggro and trade creatures when it’s in your best interest.
- Use cards that damage both players to trigger runes and get yourself a prophecy draw when you want one.
- Use Grantwood Ambusher in conjunction with Fear Totem to do multiple waves of damage or to deal with decks that have a lot of 2-1 or 1-1 openers.
- Relentless Raiders can easily be swapped out for Fiery Imps, if you prefer the damage to the draws.
- Combo Enraged Dragonknight with Crocodile Brute for a quick draw and a nasty consume effect.
- This deck should be played with your hair on fire. Go full stop from turn one and let those prophecies fly!
Deck List:
X2 Relentless Raider
X3 Afflicted Alit
X3 Circle Initiate
X2 Crocodile Brute
X3 Fear Totem
X3 Graystone Ravager
X3 Protector of the Innocent
X3 Shrieking Harpy
X3 Camlorn Hero
X3 Covenent Plate
X2 Imbued Minotaur
X3 Morkul Gatekeeper
X3 Shield Breaker
X3 Enraged Dragonknight
X3 Lightning Bolt
X2 Mystic Dragon
X2 Grahtwood Ambusher
X3 Fate Weaver
X1 Ancano
#2. Silent Pact
By Nijjaro
A powerful, self-silencing Pact deck with a high degree of difficulty but an even higher reward for mastery.
Shhh.... there there... not a sound.
Ebonheart Pact decks are everywhere, and it’s with good reason. They offer a wide range of versatile combinations and durable creatures. Since you have so many options with a Tri-Color deck, the key here is refinement and making sure that all those pieces are all serving the same purpose, and that’s where Silent Pact really delivers. At 20,050 Soul Gems to build from scratch, it’s a pricey endeavor, but it may be worth it considering the amount of use you can get out of these cards.
What makes it good?
- The deck capitalizes on self-silences in a really unique way, allowing you to create an army of powerful creatures at a massive discount while silencing their self-destructive or prohibitive abilities.
- While you work to self-silence your main attack force, the deck also contains an army of shacklers that will keep your opponent at bay while your forces grow.
- The amount of large creatures and the ability to withstand early rushes makes this deck a matchup nightmare against early aggro and speed rushes.
- Uses lethal and Swift Strikes at key moments to rupture enemy defenses.
- It has both King Jorunn and Duchess Syl… they’d make a cute couple, right?
Why it’s OP:
- The deck is full of insanely cheap, high-power creatures that generally don’t get used because of their debuffs. This deck takes full advantage of that.
- There is no substitute for Jorunn the Skald-King. He is one of the most OP creatures in the game.
- If you can activate Dementia, your opponent will have no chance to stop you.
How to Play This Deck Effectively:
- Collect silencing cards in your hand and do not use them on your opponent’s creatures unless absolutely necessary.
- Wait until the last second to self-silence and awaken your army. Trick your opponent into thinking certain creatures are either not a threat.
- Knight of the Order is a very important piece to the puzzle and should be used wisely and with maximum effectiveness. Don’t play it if you still have debuff creatures in your hand.
- Use shacklers and guards like The Gatekeeper to stop your opponent’s rushes and maintain control until your aggro bubble bursts.
- If you build your forces patiently, this deck can easily end the game on one turn.
Deck list:
X3 Cloak/Dagger
X3 Corpus Disease
X3 Deepwood Trapper
X3 Hush
X3 Circle Initiate
X3 Mournhold Traitor
X3 Orc Clan Captain
X3 Siege Catapult
X3 Skinned Hound
X3 Suran Pawnbroker
X3 Wind Keep Spellsword
X3 Ash Oppressor
X3 Cornerclub Gambler
X3 Eldergleam Matron
X3 Haunting Spirit
X3 Swift Strike
X3 Young Mammoth
X3 Corrupted Shade
X1 Garnag, Dark Adherent
X3 Imprisoned Deathlord
X2 Knight of the Order
X3 Cliff Racer
X3 Giant Snake
X1 Jorunn the Skald-King
X2 Shadowfen Priest
X3 Sower of Revenge
X1 The Gatekeeper
X1 Sharp-Eyed Ashkhan
X1 Syl, Duchess of Dementia
#1. Make Dominion Great Again
By Sveiki
Arguably the most powerful Dominion deck ever created, with multiple players riding it into the top 10 of the Legendary ladder.
Yes, this armor also comes with red MDGA hats.
Aldmeri Dominion decks have been popular ever since their introduction. They provide endless support and terrific combos, not to mention the bounty of slay and drain abilities. This deck performs a bit differently than most Dominions, using more aggro, but it’s balanced from top to bottom and contains some of the most powerful creatures in the game.
What makes it good?
- Sharing and stealing enemy keywords provides useful support, allowing you to dominate the mid-range. If you don’t win by turn ten, you have plenty of heavy hitters to provide the knockout blow.
- It can beat you in a variety of ways and doesn’t require a ton of practice to really get the hang of.
- Whatever your play style is, this deck can adapt to it and win. It has the guards and drain creatures for a more measured approach, and powerful summon and slay abilities if you want to take the fight to them early.
- The deck is expensive at 21,700 Soul Gems, but for all that loot you get a whopping 11 legendary cards in your collection.
- It has the legendary Orc Luzrah gro-Shar!
Why it’s OP:
- The keyword distribution on this deck is through the roof and speaks to its crazy balance. 11 prophecy, 10 drain, 7 last gasp, 6 guard, and so on. And that’s not to mention all the keyword sharing and stealing you can do.
- OP support creatures like Queen Barenziah and Luzrah will turn your already powerful creatures into unstoppable monsters.
- It has enough control to mitigate any damage from speed rushes and give you time to bring out your big guns.
How to Play This Deck Effectively:
- Your aggro level should depend on your opponent. This deck is versatile enough to be played any variety of ways, so you can really mold your strategy to your opponent.
- If you’re sensing that your opponent has supports, go for the throat early. Otherwise, be satisfied with trading early and deploying guards. Once you get to mid-game and start dropping 5 and 6 cost creatures, you’re opponent won’t know which to focus on and will crumble under the pressure.
- Time your OP support abilities like Queen Barenziah and Abnur Tharn well. Don’t burn them the first chance you get to gain lethal.
- Keep mid-range pressure on your opponent using drain creatures and direct damage actions.
- If you can drop Supreme Atromancer and steal his summon ability, you’ll win instantly.
- Churn, burn, and have fun! This deck has very little learning curve, which is part of what makes it so OP. Play naturally and count the bodies.
Deck list:
X3 Crown Quartermaster
X2 Deepwood Trapper
X3 Dominion Oathman
X3 Shadow Shift
X3 Awakened Dreamer
X3 Gavel of the Ordinator
X1 Luzrah gro-Shar
X3 Mournhold Traitor
X3 Shrieking Harpy
X3 Suran Pawnbroker
X3 Wardcrafter
X3 Wily Kee’va
X3 Camlorn Hero
X3 Cornerclub Gambler
X3 Discerning Thief
X3 Dominion Battlereeve
X3 Golden Initiate
X3 Pentius Oculatus Agent
X2 Swift Strike
X2 Cloudrest Illusionist
X1 Dawnbreaker
X3 Lightning Bolt
X1 Queen Barenziah
X1 The Black Dragon
X1 Ahnassi
X1 Ayrenn
X3 Cliff Racer
X1 Monastic Champion
X1 Abnur Tharn
X3 Golden Saint
X1 Razum-Dar
X1 Ancano
X1 Tazkad the Packmaster
X1 Supreme Atromancer
Also be sure to read:
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Elder Scrolls Legends - Best Decks To Buy
Top 15 Elder Scrolls Legends Best Cards
[Top 5] Elder Scrolls Legends Best Starter Decks (Cheap and Effective)
